This invention relates to an apparatus for interconnecting electrical circuit devices. More particularly, this invention relates to a new and improved solderless connector element for establishing and maintaining electrical contact between circuit devices. This invention is particularly well suited for connecting leadless electronic packages to a circuit board without the use of solder.
A conventional method of interconnecting electrical or electronic circuit components consists of soldering terminals on the components to conductors which deliver current to or from the components. While generally suitable for its intended purposes, interconnecting electrical components via soldering terminals does suffer from certain drawbacks and deficiencies. For example, the substrate which support an exposed terminal must be able to withstand relatively high temperatures with no adverse effects. Also, a problem with soldered connections is the relative difficulty in disconnecting a soldered terminal during repairs and manufacturing. To effect disconnection, the solder must be reheated to its melt temperature.
In some applications it has been found desirable to replace soldering as a technique for use in establishing connections to flexible and other circuits. In these applications, the requisite electrical contact may be established by mechanically pressing the terminal portions of the circuit against terminal pads on the connector, device or another circuit. Such prior art pressure connections may be made with the aid of a solid resilient pressure applicator, such as an elastomeric member, which is placed in compression to bias at least one of the components to be electrically interconnected toward the other component to hold the terminal portions thereof in electrical contact. Such a solderless connection system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,074 assigned to the assignee hereof and incorporated herein by reference.
While pressure connections of the type briefly described above facilitate circuit assembly and repair, and also allow for the use of low cost and low temperature plastics while eliminating the time consuming and thus costly step of soldering, the prior art pressure connectors have certain drawbacks and problems. For example, it is often desirable to affect a solderless connection between leadless electronic packages and circuit boards. Prior art solderless connector devices are typically not well suited for such an application.